Container



y 5, 1932- J. M. HART ET AL 1,365,035

CONTAINER Filed Feb. 1. 1930 INVE/Y7'0/i'6. John MHarZ. Merle R Chaplin.

JVrromvsy.

Patented July 5, 1932 res "1303' NEW YORK, N. Y., AND MERLE P. CHAPLIN, F WATERVILLE, MAINE,

ASSIG-NORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FIDELITY TRUST COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, ENE, A CUREORATION OF MAIN E, TRUSTEE CONTAINER Application filed February 1, 1930. Serial No. .25386.

Our present invention relates to containers of fibrous stock Such articles by reason of their use are necessarily relatively thin walled and heretofore have not been as strong and 5, rigid as was desired, and did not afiord any protection to the top edges of the products placed in them.

For the purposes of this application, the socalled fibrous pie plate may be considered as in typical of a wide variety of plates, dishes and like food containers to which the principles of our invention apply, and in the further discussion of such invention herein, we shall discuss it with particular reference to such an article.

It is to be understood, however, that such treatment is purely illustrative and in no way limiting and that our invention may be incorporated in any form of plate, dish or other container without regard to the character of its shape, depth or use, or the nature of particular food product intended to be contained therein.

Considering the fibrous pie plate, there fore, asillustrative of general prlnciples involved, such a plate represents an article which as heretofore made has been open to the objection that it did not afiord any protection to the top edge of the pie.

Moreover, inasmuch as the pie extends to and sometimes extends beyond the edge of the plate, the filled plate could not be lifted in any other manner than by its bottom. In other words, it was diflicult to lift the plate and product by hand without placing some part of the hand on the top of the pie near its edge. This naturally resulted in damage to the pie and, of course, was objectionable on samtar grounds.

The lack of. protection for the top edge of the pie or other food product and the inherent structural weakness of the plate, dish or container as regards sagging or buckling when filled and lifted by its edge without bottom support, are disadvantages which our present invention overcomes.

According to it, we so form our containers as to impart to the ultimate article new factors of strength, rigidity, convenience of handling, and protection for the top edge of the food product. Our containers are characterized by an annular protective flange or edge which extends continuously around the top edge of the food article placed within said container. In addition to its function of protecting the top edge of the food product, such flange constitutes a convenient hand hold above and beyond the top edge of the food product by means of which the filled container may be grasped and lifted without danger of unsanitary contact with or injury to the food product. Such protective flange moreover imparts to the container. the necessary rigidity and strength to enable it to support any reasonable load without tearing, buckling, sagging or collapsing when lifted by its edge. In the drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view of the container, partly filled.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the container on the line 22, of Fig. 1.

gig. 3 is a section showing a modification, an a Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view.

For purposes of illustrating the wide range of articles which may be made in accordance with our invention, we have shown a fibrous plate, which may be a pie plate, as in Figs. 1 and 2, a table plate, a'dish, or any other food container whether shallow, as in the case of a pie or table plate, or deep as in Figs. 3 and 4, and which may be made of apy dlesired material but is preferably made 0 pu p.

Viewed as in Fig. 1, the plate, dish or other container is under a-certain stress or load. This must be accommodated and in fact anticipated. The first function of the container is to receive and support the food product P. The second is to protect such food product and especially the top edge thereof which heretofore has been exposed and unprotected. The first is a transverse structural proposition, and the second a matter of radial protection.

Such a container is of generally uniform Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the article produced comprises a base or bottom 1 and a side wall 2. These constitute the container or receiving portion of the article. Integral with these are annular strengthening and protective members. These consist of an outward generally horizontal portion 3 and an upward portion 4 which together constitutes an angle sectioned annulus, distinct in itself. Beyond this and preferably thereabove is a enerally horizontal fiange5. This is an additlonal strength and protective factor and may be extended downwardl' as at 6 and outwardly as at 7 to continue 1: e annular frame support of the central or container area.

As indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2, the crust line of the food product P is dis-' posed within the flange 4. It is therefore protected by this flange as well as by the angular members 5 and 6 which successively protection.

At the same time these elements individually and collectively provide circumferential stiffening for the bottom 1 which carries the load and prevents it from buckling transversely when, for example, the plate is picked up by its edge, in which action the annulus 4, 5 and 6 affords a convenient hand hold, and prevents the fingers from contacting with and injuring or contaminating the top edge of the food product.

As previously noted, these articles may be made in various shapes and sizes and depths. The form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a more or less conventional plate, such as is used for pies or other previously cooked and con toured articles. This form may be variousl modified according to the food article, bot as to its protective edge or as to the character of its containing fOItlOIl. In Fig. 3 we show a modification o the edge shown in Fig. 2. This form is particularly adapted to other types of food roducts, especially those which are not of de ite predetermined form. In many of these types the contour is not circular and may not req'uire'tbe intermediate flange 3 of Fig. 2.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the bottom 1 is provided with a side wall 2 which is continued as a portion 14 which corresponds with the portion 4 previously described in connection with Fig. 2. This portion 14 connects-with the outward generally horizontal portion 5 which was described in connection with Fig. 2. .This may be continued downwardly as at 6 and outwardly as at 7 as previously described in connection with Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4 we have generally indicated one of the obvious modifications incontour of such articles. They may be formed from any fibrous material or stock and sized or made absorptive according to the uses intended as where they are to hold and retain be grasped and lifted .without contact moist :or easy food products or where it is desirabii to absorb surplus moisture or grease as in the case of a pie or similar prod uct. These, and all such modifications are to be regarded as within the spirit and scope of our invention, if within the limits of the appended claims.

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-z- I 1. A food container formed of fibrous pulp material, comprising a bottom, a side wall, and an integral extension enclosing said side wall and extending outwardly and then upwardly as a protective edge for the upper edge portion of the food, and said protective edge constituting both a handhold by means of which the filled container may be grasped and lifted without contact with the enclosed when lifted by its edge without bottom supcombine with this flange to afford such radial port.

2. A food container formed of fibrous material, comprising a bottom, a surrounding side wall, and an integral extension enclosing said side wall and extending outwardly and then upwardly and thence outwardly again as a protective edge for the, upper edge portion of the food, and said protective edge constituting both a hand hold by means of which the filledcontainer may be grasped and lifted without contact with the enclosed food and a reinforcing annulus stiffening the filled container against rupture or collapse when lifted by its edge without bottom sup ort.

3. A food container formed 0 fibrous material, comprising a bottom, a surrounding side wall, and an integral extension enclos ing said side wall and extending outwardly and then upwardly and thence outwardly again and downwardly as a protective edge for the upper ed e portion of the food and said protective e ge constituting both a hand hold by'means of which thefilled container may be grasped and lifted without contact with the enclosed food and a reinforcing annulus stiffening the filled container against rupture or collapse when lifted by its edge without bottom support.

4. A food container formed of fibrous material comprising a supporting bottom an enclosing side wall and an integral extension enclosing said side wall and'providing a rotective edge disposed above the plane 0 the upper level of the food in s acedenclosin relation thereto and constituting both a. han hold by means of which the container the enclosed food and a'reinforcing annulus stiffening the filled container agalnst ru ture or collapse'when lifted by its edge wi out bottom support.

5. A food container having a de ressed central container portion, an upwar y and outwardly extending side wall and an in gral reinforcing annulus of angular sectionenthe food, and said protective e. ge constitut ing both a hand hold by means. of which the filled container may be grasped and lifted without contact with the enclosed food and a. reinforcing annulus stifl'ening the filled container agamst rupture or collapse when lifted by its edge without bottom support.

6. A pie plate comprising a bottom and a side wall enclosing said bottom, said side wall terminating in a reversely angled marginal annulus extending upwardly and outwardly thereabouts as a protective edgefor the upper edge portion of the pie, and said protective edge constituting both a hand hold by means of which the filled container may be grasped and lifted without contact with the enclosed pie and a reinforcing annulus stifi'enin the filled container against rupture or col apse when lifted by its edge without bottom support.

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures.

JOHN M. HART. MERLE P. CHAPLIN. 

